HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Madison County District 6 Commissioner
Bob Harrison lashed out at Huntsville City Schools Superintendent Casey Wardynski
and the school board Wednesday for excluding the community and elected
officials on the rezoning debate.

Madison County District 6 Commissioner Bob Harrison said he wants the commission to make the Huntsville school board and superintendent answerable for their arrogant behavior in the rezoning debate. (Paul Huggins/phuggins@al.com)

"I don't believe in my 50 plus years have I seen such a
display of arrogance, deception, deceit, such that when we talk about being
together as a community, it defies everything that we are supposed to be about,"
Harrison said at the beginning of Wednesday's commission meeting.

"There's no excuse for a public official to disregard and put
all professional ethics aside," he said. "The behavior of this school board and superintendent
is unforgivable and inexcusable."

Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, a handful of
clergymen from Harrison's district and some Johnson High School Alumni
representatives were there to show their support for Harrison's statements.

They all share a concern for the "disrespect, dysfunction and
disregard" the Huntsville Board of Education and superintendent have given the
commission as fellow public servants, Harrison said.

Some specific instances of their arrogance he described:

Wardynski refused to meet with him and Showers, when they
asked for a meeting that would include state Rep. Laura Hall and school board
member Laurie McCaulley, and the superintendent said he would only meet with
Hall and McCaulley.

The school board misrepresented his position against the
renaming of Johnson High School when it asked him to sign in for a school board
meeting and said his signature showed support for naming the new school for Mae
Jemison.

The school board and superintendent lied to black community leaders
by telling them they were under a federal gag order not to discuss school construction
plans and rezoning.

The superintendent told state or local elected officials seeking
explanation on his decisions that they should run for school board because it
is the only body to which he must answer.

Both Harrison and Showers said they have voted to allocate
millions of dollars for Huntsville City Schools and to not be included in the rezoning
conversation was contrary to the spirit of cooperation they have shown with school officials.

Showers also told the commission that Wardynski made him
feel like he, as an elected official, and parents in the community had no
voice. The superintendent declined a request to meet with him on the rezoning
plan by saying he had his chance to raise questions at one of the six town hall
meetings held in February, he said.

"This is not Huntsville and we got to stop this. And the way
to stop this is to address this," Showers said.

Harrison said he wants the commission to seek a meeting with
school board and superintendent for an explanation of their decisions.

No other commissioners spoke in support of requesting such a
meeting. Commission Chairman Dale Strong did say he expects there will be more dialogue
on the issues Harrison raised after the meeting.